Ear Buds/ Head Phones

[walhondingnashua]

I would like to get a set of headphones or ear buds to listen to while mowing. I know I want, and need, something noise canceling. My gc2400 is pretty loud with the mower running. I have tried to put my apple earbuds under a set of earmuffs, and that didn't work well. If anyone can suggest a good set from experience, I would prefer noise canceling earbuds because they are more versatile to me. I also don't want to spend a crazy amount of money on apple noise canceling earbuds. What are other people using? Do they really work?
Thanks in advance.

 

[ABMax24]

This website it my go-to for anything electronics related. They actually test products instead of recommend products based on how much they are paid.

That being said I have the Pixel Series A Buds. They are not noise cancelling, but still block a lot of sound, and I could comfortably wear muffs over them.

The 6 Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds - Spring 2023: Reviews

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Truly Wireless are the best noise cancelling earbuds we've tested. These premium buds are the previous generation of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Truly Wireless and have a top-tier ANC system.

www.rtings.com

 

[begreen]

I use a pair of Worktunes. They make a wireless version with BlueTooth if desired.
(broken link removed)

 

[peakbagger]

IMHO, the head muff styles work way better than buds.

 

[Ashful]

I'm a 40 year drummer, bagpiper, and sports shooter. So, between that and hundreds of hours per year behind chainsaws and mowers, I have gone through quite a few muffs and buds.

In the 1980's, you couldn't beat a pair of gun muffs with open ear headphone speakers jammed inside them. We used to wire up our own, with jacks drilled thru the muff shell. But that all ended 25 years ago, with the introduction of decent Inner-Ear Monitors (IEM's), essentially ear buds designed for the specific purpose of blocking out stage noise and replacing the wedge monitors you saw at every rock concert before 1990.

Today, all I wear for mowing and chainsawing is one variant or another of the venerable Shure SE-215's, of which I have several pairs dating back probably close to 20 years. You're not going to find a better noise-blocking muff or bud for similar price, and they come with the backing of a long-standing pro audio company, who will take care of any issues you may ever have with them.

Muffs don't block droning noises as well as any decent IEM. Never have, never will. But for super-loud applications, I will sometimes wear muffs over my IEM's.

 

[stoveliker]

I use Bose noise canceling headphones for me (frequent, work, overseas) air travel. Best thing ever.

For working noise (mower, gas chainsaw) I use the 3M ones (with Bluetooth from my phone) suggested by begreen.

 

[fbelec]

this is what i use when i am on my riding mower or doing what ever. they are noise cancelling with a switch. they have HD sound. i play music from my phone via bluetooth. if the phone rings the music stops and you can talk because you can hear it. after the phone call the music picks right up where it left off. i bought them 3 years ago and they work great today. i use them on the job. turned all the way up you can get 7 to 9 hours out of a charge. yes the are rechargable. and if you hear HD music like Alan Jackson good time from vevo videos you can feel it in your chest. back then i paid $36.00 dollars new. it's made by motorola. below is what i use
(broken link removed to https://www.ebay.com/itm/185274982717?chn=ps&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1E1eS1BarS6eL-PPeXjSyrg16&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=185274982717&targetid=1583904486362&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=9001884&poi=&campaignid=15275224983&mkgroupid=131097072938&rlsatarget=pla-1583904486362&abcId=9300697&merchantid=114835216&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlofHl__aIVufDjBx1WnQUgEAQYAyABEgKl2fD_BwE)

 

[fbelec]

i've tried about 15 sets of ear buds and none of them fit they fall out

 

[Ashful]

i've tried about 15 sets of ear buds and none of them fit they fall out

I have the same problem with the type made by Apple and other trendy companies making them without the wire that goes over the ear. Especially the hard shell ones from Apple just fall right out, one of many penalties for having Elfishly small ears.

Seriously, if you've never had any Shure SE-215's, they're worth a try. They are about the cheapest thing you'll ever find in a really good IEM, which is just musician speak for "fancy high-end noise-blocking ear buds." They come with three sizes of memory foam tips, which you roll between your fingers to compress before sticking them into your ear holes and letting them expand to block out the world. I've not found anything better for mowing or sawing. The wired variant has more power, their Bluetooth receiver doesn't have nearly the same drive power as the output jack on your phone, but that's common to every Bluetooth receiver/headphone amp I've ever tried.

Do note the memory foam lasts maybe 1 year before getting wrung out to a point where it re-expands too quickly to get the damn things deep into your ear holes. You can pick up bags of 8 pairs of replacement foam tips (both OEM and aftermarket) for just a few dollars on Amazon or ebay.

 

[stoveliker]

In my sound mixing days (as in a 30 channel mixer), I preferred the over-ear ones; it's easier to pop one off halfway to listen to the room to get the same balance there as I hear in my other (closed off) ear.

They do get sweaty though when mowing ...

 

[zrock]

i have always used skull candy with the gel ends. Once you find out what gel end fits your ear properly they work great

 

[fbelec]

i do have to watch out tho. i have meniere's disease and i can get dizzy sometimes fast or slowly. having my ears blocked for to long will set it off. i never know how long. even safety glasses. i had a pair on for rust under the car and was doing 6 lousy bolts i wound up throwing up

 

[fbelec]

i've never seen the shure brand. i know they are into sound because of microphones and record cartridges ( kids today would be whats that )

 

[stoveliker]

Shure is a great brand for sound equipment. Been around a long time with mostly quality stuff.

 

[Ashful]

i've never seen the shure brand. i know they are into sound because of microphones and record cartridges ( kids today would be whats that )

Shure is a venerable old pro-audio brand. They don't have a history in consumer electronics, but I would venture to say that more of the albums you've owned in your lifetime were recorded on Shure SM57's and SM58's, than any other microphone that has ever existed in history. Shure mic's and EV speakers used to be the desire of every touring rock band.

 

[begreen]

Shure is a venerable old pro-audio brand. They don't have a history in consumer electronics, but I would venture to say that more of the albums you've owned in your lifetime were recorded on Shure SM57's and SM58's, than any other microphone that has ever existed in history. Shure mic's and EV speakers used to be the desire of every touring rock band.

And Shure cartridges played millions of LPs.

 

[fbelec]

i didn't know that electrica voice speakers were there brand that is interesting. their speakers were something else. i know the voice of the theater speakers. huge

 

[begreen]

I thought Voice of the Theaters were Altec Lansing speakers though EV makes some honking big stadium and concert arrays. I was surprised to see that EV corporate info shows the EV is now part of Bosch Security Systems

 

[Ashful]

Showing your age with that LP cartridge comment, begreen! I'm more in the magnetic tape generation.

Yeah, at least in the late 1980's and early 1990's, when I was doing the pro audio thing, EV and JBL were the speakers to have for arena and theater sound systems. Crown amps in the studio, and Crest Audio for stage, and Shure mics everywhere. Very fun and exciting industry, and the reason I originally chose to go EE in school, before de-railing into a less fun but more profitable branch line.

There were so many cool but small audio companies in the 1970's - 1980's, Shure just being one of the few had had success and grew. Others like McIntosh and Klipsch sold their souls to the devil, putting their once-noble names on cheap consumer crap in recent years.

I suppose what's even more interesting is whether systems built today for $2k - $5k can compete with systems built for $300k under the same company names 30+ years ago. I suspect in some cases they do, thanks to better design tools, materials, and historical knowledge base.

 

[festerw]

I use these and a set of regular 3m ear plugs. Music sounds pretty much the same with the plugs as without.

OpenRun Pro

Shokz (formerly Aftershokz) OpenRun Pro open-ear sport headphones features the latest 9th generation bone conduction headphone technology with premium sound and enhanced bass. Push past your limits with an open-ear fit, 10-hour battery life with quick charge and IP55 water-resistant protection...

shokz.com

 

[stoveliker]

And then there were the poor Peavey folks

 

[begreen]

Showing your age with that LP cartridge comment, begreen! I'm more in the magnetic tape generation.

Yup, though vinyl is back in these days for those that like a non-digital sound.

 

[fbelec]

non digital sound works the best with menieres. it's weird sometimes i can but sometimes i can't put up with digital sound at that point it's just best to be quiet

 

[Rob711]

ISOtunes PRO 2.0 Bluetooth Earplug Headphones, 27 dB Noise Reduction Rating, 16+ Hour Battery, IP67 Durability, Noise Cancelling Mic, OSHA Compliant Professional Hearing Protector (Matte Black) https://a.co/d/iA1aERp

I’ve had these for a while. Good for mower or log splitter. I’ll put muffs over them when using my backpack blower.

 

[Ashful]

Re: digital sound. In theory, you shouldn’t be able to tell the difference, with a good DAC. Maybe some find appeal in the hiss and pop artifacts generated by tape or vinyl, but I think you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who can actually hear the difference between a good DAC and a clean analog recording. Our ears have a limited range (well below 20 kHz for adult males), and a good non-compressed digital recording (eg. CD) generates clean sinusoids up to 22 kHz thru any good DAC. There’s also issues with the ADC used to make the recording, but since budget is less a problem on that end of things, any flavor put into the recording from the ADC is usually more by design than accident.